David Kim discusses his book ‘Arendt’s Solidarity: Anti-Semitism and Racism in the Atlantic World’

David Kim, professor of European languages and transcultural studies and associate vice provost of the International Institute, gave a brief overview of his new book, "Arendt's Solidarity: Anti-Semitism and Racism in the Atlantic World " (Stanford 2024) at a talk hosted by the Center for European and Russian Studies and co-sponsored by the UCLA Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies this past spring.

Kim discussed his new book with Samuel Moyn, Kent professor of law and history at Yale University, and Yogita Goyal, professor of African American studies and English at UCLA.

During the discussion, Kim warned against selective citation of the political theorist's work because such an approach risked monumentalizing her without identifying what should be honored and what should be criticized in her oeuvre.

The author's two discussants agreed that "Arendt's Solidarity" achieves exactly that goal: it illuminates Arendt's contributions while honestly examining her blind spots.

Samuel Moyn lauded Kim for "the incredible intellectual craftsmanship of the book," the depth of his research and his ability to put Arendt's work in conversation with others. Kim, he said, has made Arendt relevant for our times.

Goyal described Kim's work as "a feat of academic writing and a work of discipline and erudition" and praised the discoveries that the author's research had unearthed from multiple archives. Describing the book as "aggressively anti-polemical," she said it posed questions that invited contemplation.

Read more about the book at the UCLA International Institute website